IN THE trailer for the Yaar Avan drama series that was shown on the Astro Tamil channel, one can spot a young fashion model posing in a dress. That model is the honey-eyed actress Moon Nila, who can stop you in your tracks with her gorgeous looks.
Instead of wondering “who is he?”, which is the direct Tamil translation of Yaar Avan, viewers wondered “who is she?”.
In the series, the beautiful actress portrays a model who is caught up in the rivalry between two famous fashion designers.
Moon Nila’s character Mayaa is a newcomer who enters the fashion industry with a mind of her own, struggles to maintain her dignity, bravely battles sexual harassment, and goes through an emotional breakdown.
Moon Nila has acted in more than 10 movie projects, several TV drama series and short films and 12 music videos. She is also a dancer and host, and owns a beauty services company.
In real life, Moon Nila is an energetic, cheerful, down-to-earth person.
Despite her looks being the first thing that people notice about her, Moon Nila wants to be known for her acting skills and capability to play versatile roles, more than her beauty.
Most importantly, she wants to be the queen of people’s hearts as she believes herself to be in a position to influence people positively.
What was the biggest challenge you faced as an actress?
“Yearning to be an actress and playing a character on the screen itself is very challenging to begin with. Frankly, the number of opportunities has expanded with the expansion of digital media, but so has the competition, and the number of accessible alternatives.
“For actors who find their genuine calling and have made up their mind to walk this journey, acting may be lovely and fulfilling, but it can take its toll, too. Honestly, it is difficult out there, especially to live a balanced life.”
Tell us a bit about your character Mayaa in Yaar Avan. What do you like about her?
“Maaya has a lot of self-respect and doesn’t hesitate to voice out her opinion in any situation or circumstance. I just like the way she carries herself – a magnificent woman with intelligence.
“Maaya is a unique character and I hope she will be accepted well by the public.”
What did you learn from your character Amy in the drama Tamil Letchumy, which also premeired this year?
“Amy is a housewife but she is extremely lovely, inside and out. She does everything with strength, and never fails to inspire the people surrounding her with pure innocence. Spreading love is what I truly cherish about Amy. Many people have started calling me Amy, instead of by my real name.”
How do both the characters relate to you in real life?
“Both characters have been exceptionally close to me in real life. Like Mayaa, I agree that you don’t have to lose your dignity in order to be recognised. Like Amy, I totally agree that you can win at anything by spreading love to everybody and I am glad to be that way.”
What inspired you to be a part of a video on cyberbullying?
“Cyberbullying is intolerable in the age of advanced technology. It is an act of bullying victims using computerised mediums or communication devices.
“Cyberbullying can affect the victim in many ways, more than you can imagine. It can bring down your self-respect and distance you from social life. In reality, cyberbullying has driven others to depression and suicide.
“I was [also avoiding engaging] cyberbullies but recently, I found out about a young girl’s suicide, and it gave me no choice other than to step forward and try to stop such brutality.”
Can you please share any of your personal experiences relating to cyberbullying?
“I have been trolled and bullied by a few gutless individuals, in the obscure pages of their social media platforms, for a long time. Despite this, I have maintained a strategic distance from it. As a human being, I can’t cover up my feelings and the impact on my family and the individuals around me. It has led me to be in a state of extreme misery and I nearly gave up.”
How did you overcome the situation?
“I have stopped paying attention. If I receive a message or e-mail from somebody that’s attempting to bully me, I would erase it, even before I read it. It takes a lot of effort to sort out the messages than erasing it. I can’t be influenced by what they are sending to me.
“Instead, I occupy myself by spending more time with my family and companions. In extreme cases, I have made official reports to the relevant authorities.”
